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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

Vintage 1920's Dennison Jack O Lantern Acorn Halloween Seals - Full box of 20

It’s fun watching how the different segments comprising the entire vintage or secondary Halloween market change over time. A few seasons ago boxed Dennison items evoked some yawns. This has certainly not been the case over the last twelve months. I’ve been tracking boxed Dennison prices and to say they have strengthened would be spot on. And they should be strengthening. These boxed sets are largely ~100 years old. To find full boxes is truly something if you think about it. Seals have a tendency to clump and curl, so to find a full box of seals able to be displayed like the ones in this listing should achieve a strong result. Dennison items be they boxed, meant to be hung or meant to be displayed atop a table have long been one of my favorite segments. This particular set is compelling. The acorn faces are weirdly spooky and hard to find. They were offered for perhaps one or two seasons in the mid-1920s.

VERY RARE Antique German Halloween SKULL HEAD LANTERN

I review some results and wonder what possesses bidders. This is a good example. This German skull or ghost head lantern surfaces reasonably often. (Its RSIN is 3.) The baseline price has hovered between $800-1200 for many years, so someone actually bidding and paying $3,049.99 beggars the imagination. When you look at the bidding history, it’s apparent the action was driven by two dogged bidders once the reasonable threshold price of $651 was reached. The coup de grace was delivered by a bidder who sniped the prevailing bid. I wonder if buyer’s remorse has set in yet. The lantern does augment a display but the buyer will not see that price again for many moons.

Vintage Halloween 1913 Dennison’s Bogie Book - ULTRA RARE - NOT A REPRODUCTION

This is the only Bogie Book edition not part of the collection. I considered bidding on it, but its condition was too problematic. Others may have felt the same way as the listing should have brought significantly more dollars. It also just may be the time of the year. Many sellers make the mistake of listing vintage Halloween goods now. I find that from now through the end of the year is a great time to buy. The number of listings skyrocket while at the same time the average collector has finished their shopping for the year. Prices typically drop, sometimes precipitously. Bargains typically abound right now. Relative to this particular listing, it is nice to see such a quality item amongst all the dreck!

09/24 Update: I was surprised this Bogie didn’t fetch a higher price. It sold for only $676.

Vintage Halloween Lithograph Tin Toy Bell Noise Maker Pumpkin Black Cat Witch

These bells surface with some regularity and typically have brought ~$300-325. However, there have been three sales in the last 30 days wherein the bells have brought comfortably in the $400s. Is this an indicator of a resurgence in interest for Halloween tin litho items or is it specific to this bell for some reason? The tin litho market segment has remained tepid for many years now except for most tambourines and the seldom-seen noisemakers. I hope this market segment is springing back to life.

Very Rare Antique Vintage Unused Dennison Halloween Die cut Place Card

Even though I have a near-complete run of original Bogie Books and their brethren from 1909 through 1935 (I am missing the 1913 edition.), this place card being identified in a Bogie Book as being a Dennison item completely escaped my notice. It truly is a one-off from a Dennison design perspective. Who woulda thunk? Thanks so much to Anita R. for identifying it for me while she was visiting.

09/06 Update: This Dennison place card fetched a strong $224.50.

Vintage Antique Halloween German Die Cut Embossed Cat

The Germans produced an enormous number of heavily embossed diecuts during the 1920s and early 1930s. (A few were produced from ~1949-1953 as well…) This waving cat draws you right in, so it makes for a strong display element. Pair this with the waving skeleton shown on page 179 and you’ll have a killer diecut display. The condition appears to be near-mint or better. It’ll be fun to see what this friendly feline fetches.

1932 Beistle Skeleton Die-cut Halloween Decor Saw Tooth Embossed 30s RARE

There have been a few tantalizing lots recently in the vast garbage heap that eBay has become. (The fix to make eBay a viable marketplace once again would be for them to simply and definitively define vintage holiday selling categories. Create and police a Vintage Halloween {1900-1960} category. C’mon guys…) We have been blessed with two truly stellar listings of late, the mint NOMA set referenced directly below and now this much desired Beistle “skeleton in the graveyard” diecut. I do wonder if the seller has overshot by having the opening bid be $4,499.99. Let me explain why. I sold one of these diecuts in my last annual auction in March 2024 for a record shattering price of $4,700. The condition of that record setting item was every bit as nice as this one, but prior to March 2024 the highest public price paid for the diecut was ~$3,500. (One actually sold at a show in Ohio a few years back for a scant $700.) I don’t know how many collectors are willing or able to add an item - even a great one like this - to their collection for a known minimum of $4,499.99. I think to stoke interest the seller should have started it at $199.99 and let the auction run. Will anyone bid at this opening level?

09/06 Update: The answer to the question is yes. Someone actually placed a bid at the opening price of $4,499.99 so now there are two recent selling price points averaging $4,600.00.

09/16 Update: The buyer of this diecut contacted me to say the diecut was damaged in transit. The buyer was able to return it for a full refund.

Vintage Halloween 1920s NOMA Celluloid JOL “Hollowe’en” Decorative Outfit - RARE

I followed this listing with great interest. It is a treat to see truly rare items on eBay, especially rare items in such unparalleled mint condition. I applaud the seller for their crisp and detailed description uncluttered by unnecessary cutesiness. The description put the set into a greater context, and the many great photos furthered that education. Although this NOMA celluloid set has little interest for me, I know there are many Halloween and vintage lighting collectors vying to have one. Therefore, I am not surprised at the selling price of $5,049.98. I wonder if this stellar set would have fetched even more at an auction house like either Bertoia or Morphy’s?

Vintage Halloween Embossed Die Cut Ornament Black Cat in the Moon

Collectors should be cautious about spending more-than-average sums on sub-par items that surface regularly. This cat and crescent moon diecut was produced by Beistle for many years. It is not at all rare or even scarce. Yet, someone offered the seller $90 for it, which that seller probably gleefully accepted. The average selling price for these in better condition is ~$40-50.

VERY RARE Antique Vintage Halloween Full Set 4 Flip-Out Placecards Beistle 31-32

After wading through the tiresome lingerie listings by the seller, iiniim, that eBay somehow allows to clutter up what should be a stand-alone Vintage Halloween category, it was oh-so-nice to see this listing for a set that is truly exceedingly rare. Beistle produced this lightly embossed complete set of four place card designs during the 1930 and 1931 seasons. I don’t think they actually produced many. Remember that the tentacles of the Great Depression were infiltrating all economic sections of the global economy at that time, so virtually all firms were under great pressure. I think Beistle took a flyer on these, as they differ so much from their usual fare. I haven’t seen a complete set offered publicly for many years. (I did hear of a private transaction where a collector shelled out $3,500 for a truly mint set maybe 2-4 years ago.) It will be instructive to see what this set fetches.

08/24 Update: This complete set of four fetched $2,650. I feel that’s the right price for a complete set these days. $3,500 should be considered the high-water mark, with waters that will almost surely not crest that high again. I expect to see more of these surface now.

RARE Antique 1920/30s Halloween Gibson Die Cut Party Sign "Cold Facts" Skeleton

Even though the condition of this diecut is atrocious, this may be an instance where scarcity loosens the normal condition strictures many collectors impose. I purchased one of these diecuts several years back for ~$2,000, although the condition was FAR superior. From a design perspective, Gibson can be considered the rambunctious sibling at a family reunion, dominated by other, much more staid siblings named Beistle and Dennison. Gibson’s designs tended to be more unpredictable, right at the periphery of logic. Their output was much smaller than the other two, so finding their diecuts is quite a feat. It’ll be instructive to see what this fetches.

08/20 Update: This fetched $560.